Help homestay business to benefit from State Budget 2018 — Nasir

THE Sabah government should study how to help Bumiputera entrepreneurs who are committed to running homestay businesses to benefit from the RM228 million allocated in the State Budget 2018 for the development of rural tourism.

Datuk Seri Nasir Tun Sakaran (BN-Senallang) said homestay businesses could help solve the problem of hotel room shortage to meet the rising number of tourist arrivals to Sabah.

“It was reported that in a bid to solve the hotel room shortage issue, new hotels built through foreign investment was made one of the alternatives.

“This is a short-term solution that will only benefit certain group...causing homestay businesses run by villagers or rural entrepreneurs to be left with a lukewarm response,” he said when debating the State Budget 2018 at the State Assembly sitting.

Nasir also proposed for tourism industry players to diversify their tourism package to Semporna so that the tourists could visit more places, and hence help boost Bumiputera businesses in the constituency.

“I was made to understand that 800 to 1,000 tourists came to Semporna on daily basis, but most of them would flock to the famous spots or islands owned by big tourism industry players and when they’re done, they will just go straight to the jetty or airport without even checking out other places or what the Bumiputera entrepreneurs have to offer,” he added.